ATLANTA — Residents across metro Atlanta are waking up to widespread damage and travel disruptions following a round of powerful storms that swept through the area overnight.

Strong winds and hail toppled trees and limbs across the region, leading to thousands of power outages and causing a ground stop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The storms brought air travel to a halt Thursday night. At the height of the weather event, no planes on the ground were permitted to take off, and several incoming flights were diverted to alternate airports. Flight tracking service FlightAware reports more than 100 delays and cancellations this morning, and travelers are being urged to check with their airlines before heading to the airport.

Missy McCray, who was at the airport to meet a family member, described the impact firsthand. “We’re here to pick up a relative from Tucson we haven’t seen in several years, so we’re excited to see her. But her flight was diverted to New Orleans, so she’s going to be a couple of hours later than we expected,” McCray said.

While the severe weather has cleared out of the metro area, the aftermath remains, with debris removal and power restoration continuing throughout the day.